The present invention relates to automotive brake systems, and more particularly to a plastic sleeve placed over a brake hose to provide brake hose orientation along a pre-set path.
Automotive braking systems utilize hydraulic lines to ensure proper pressure distribution to the brakes at the wheels of the vehicle. Because the hydraulic pressure is critical, the hydraulic lines are preferably in the form of rigid metallic tubing except in locations where flexibility is required. For example, all the wheels are subject to bounce, and the front wheels are further subject to turning. Accordingly, to accommodate these movements, the hydraulic lines include one or more segments which are composed of a flexible brake hose. Brake hoses typically are composed of a hydraulic grade reinforced elastomeric material which provides long-term flexibility.
In that the brake hose runs between an upline location and a downline location, the two locations being movable relative to each other, it is desirable to locate the brake hose so that these movements do not result in the brake hose becoming pinched or interferingly involved with any adjacent vehicular components. In the prior art, it is known to utilize an elastomeric sleeve to provide a pre-set routing for the brake hose which thereby renders the brake hose safe from these concerns.
FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a conventional brake hose 10 connected to a brake line terminal 12 having an integral fitting 14 into which an end 16 of the bake hose is placed and then crimped sealingly thereover. The crimp 18 is in the form of an annular crimp cavity 20 at the outer surface 22 of the fitting, wherein the trough 24 of the annular crimp cavity oppositionally corresponds to an apex 26 at the inner surface 28 of the fitting which provides a sealed fit between the brake hose and the fitting. In order to keep the brake hose 10, which is flexible, at a predetermined path even as movement between the upline and downline locations transpire, it is conventional for an elastomeric sleeve 29 to be press fit over the brake hose at the fitting 14 (one of the upline and downline locations), extending from the brake line terminal 12 to a selected location distal therefrom (for example about 2.5 inches). The preferred elastomeric sleeve has a uniform inner through bore 30 and is generally composed of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), which provides a resiliency resistant to flexing in view of its relatively thick sidewall (for example, on the order of one-quarter inch in relation to an outside diameter on the order of one inch).
The elastomeric sleeve has a number of drawbacks. Among these, for example, are bending of the elastomeric sleeve in response to lateral stresses, cost of application, piece cost, and lack of rotational freedom. With regard to the latter drawback, when the elastomeric sleeve is pressed onto the fitting, the tight fit creates a high frictional interaction between the elastomeric sleeve and the fitting which prevents the elastomeric sleeve from freely rotating with respect to the brake hose This creates an undesirable coaction therebetween as the various motions between the upline and downline locations transpire over the life of the vehicle.
Therefore, what remains needed in the art is a simple, inexpensive, and easily attached brake hose sleeve.
The present invention is a brake hose sleeve composed of plastic which has a throat structured to positively interfit (that is, to snap onto with a tightly held orientation) with respect to the annular crimp cavity of the fitting into which the brake hose is sealingly attached.
The brake hose sleeve according to the present invention has an inner through bore which communicates with a throat located at an end of the brake hose sleeve. The throat is characterized by an annular recess defined by an annular recess wall and a plurality of mutually spaced and axially oriented ribs. Each rib has a convex contour which is reciprocal with respect to the concave contour of the annular crimp cavity of the fitting so that a positive interfit is generated therebetween.
In operation, as the throat of the brake hose sleeve is pressed over the wide end of the fitting, the convex shape of the ribs positively interfits into the concave shape of the annular crimp cavity, thereby seating the brake hose sleeve onto the fitting. By the term xe2x80x9cpositively interfitxe2x80x9d is meant that the ribs automatically snap into a seated position on the annular crimp cavity, whereupon the sleeve is retained at a tightly held orientation which has little to no off-axis squirm with respect to the fitting, yet rotation therebetween is allowed. In this regard, the ribs interaction with the annular crimp cavity provides a self-alignment with respect to the fitting, and error-proofs the assembly process. This is because the seating of the brake hose sleeve occurs when the ribs interfit with the annular crimp cavity, independently of whether the end of the brake hose sleeve has abutted the brake line terminal and/or independently of whether the annular recess wall has abutted the end of the fitting. The brake hose sleeve is now able to rotate relative to the fitting and the brake hose, and the plastic supplies a preset path rigidity to the brake hose.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a brake hose sleeve which interfits with the annular crimp cavity of a fitting crimpably connected to a brake hose.
This and additional objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become clearer from the following specification of a preferred embodiment.